Political risk must-reads

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Eurasia Group’s weekly selection of essential reading for the political-risk junkie — presented in no particular order. As always, feel free to give us your feedback or selections by tweeting at us via @EurasiaGroup or @ianbremmer.

Many Chinese sectors such as media, finance, and technology are off-limits to foreign direct investment. Variable interest entities (VIEs) have allowed Chinese companies such as Baidu, Sina, and Alibaba to raise billions in foreign capital while avoiding the regulatory hurdles. A new court ruling may make these entities illegal—with severe implications.

Can ten countries really share one river? An Ethiopian plan to create 6,000 megawatts of hydroelectric power through damming the Nile—enough electricity for 85 million Ethiopians—has neighbors feeling like they’ve been sold down the river.

The difference between the economies of North and South Korea is the biggest of any two neighboring countries on earth. Is North Korea’s system sustainable in the long run? Here are six reasons to think not.

The Filipino economy outpaced that of any other East Asian country with 7.8% GDP growth in the first quarter. But is this growth trickling down to ordinary citizens? The country ranks 114th out of 187 countries in the UN Human Development Index. Unemployment rose since last year; many are looking overseas for work or enough food to eat.

Author Profile

Ian Bremmer is the president of Eurasia Group, the leading global political risk research and consulting firm. Bremmer created Wall Street's first global political risk index, and has authored several books, including the national bestseller, The End of the Free Market: Who Wins the War Between States and Corporations?, which details the new global phenomenon of state capitalism and its geopolitical implications. He has a PhD in political science from Stanford University (1994), and was the youngest-ever national fellow at the Hoover Institution.